Side finger conveyor

ABSTRACT

An overhead track conveyor elevator wherein a section of a rail forms a ramp in an inclined open bottom frame arch interiorly supporting the rail from one side of the arch. An endless belt is interiorly supported from the other side of the arch with one run parallel to but lower than the bottom of the rail with rigid fingers extending laterally from the belt to a location below said rail. Guide structure engages the belt from top and bottom over the length of the one run to stabilize the belt and force the fingers to follow an undeviating course below the rail. Drive means propels the belt whereby the fingers engage any depending load carried by the rail in travel between the levels of the ends of the belt.

United States Patent 1 Mclllwain Sept. 17, 1974 SIDE FINGER CONVEYOR [76] Inventor: James C. Mclllwain, 1215 Ridgeway Dr., Richardson, Tex. 75080 [22] Filed: Feb. 20, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 333,535

[52] US. Cl. 104/172 S [51] Int. Cl B61b 13/06 [58] Field of Search 104/172 S, 89, 93, 106, 104/110, 111

[56] I References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,039,403 6/1962 McDonough 104/172 S X 3,411,456 11/1968 Stevens 104/172 S X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 245,593 9/1970 U.S.S.R. 104/172 S Primary Examiner-Robert .1 Spar Assistant Examiner-George F. Abraham Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Richards, Harris & Medlock [5 7] ABSTRACT An overhead track conveyor elevator wherein a section of a rail forms a ramp in an inclined open bottom frame arch interiorly supporting the rail from one side of the arch. An endless belt is interiorly supported from the other side of the arch with one run parallel to but lower than the bottom of the rail with rigid fingers extending laterally from the belt to a location below said rail. Guide structure engages the belt from top and bottom over the length of the one run to stabilize the belt and force the fingers to follow an undeviating course below the rail. Drive means propels the belt whereby the fingers engage any depending load carried by the rail in travel between the levels of the ends of the belt.

7 Glaims, 3 Drawing Figures PAIENIED SE?! 7 I974 SHEET 1 BF 2 SIDE FINGER CONVEYOR SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to food handling, and more particularly to an elevator for conveniently and readily moving loads along an incline which-is roller supported on a track.

Carcasses of slaughtered animals in processing operations are suspended on hooks generally movable on rollers along routes defined by overhead tracks. The forces to move the load along level courses generally are supplied by hand. However, when carcasses are to be moved from one level to another level, elevator mechanisms are required. In the past, mechanisms have been employed which have been characterized by high wear rate contact between parts such that bits of metal and other debris occasioned by wear between mating parts fall onto and contaminate the product suspended therebelow.

The present invention eliminates such problem by providing a controlled lift applying elements to a roller supported load wherein the elements are stabilized as to assure positive control of the load with minimal wear contact.

More particularly, in accordance with the present invention there is provided a conveyor to propel a rail supported load upon an incline section defined by the course of the rail wherein a continuous roller chain is mounted on sprockets positioned on horizontal axes at opposite ends of the inclined section. The chain is sup ported on the sprockets with the lower run of the chain parallel to but below the level of the rail and adjacent to one side of the rail. Pins extending from the side of the chain to a position beneath the rail engage the load and push the same up the incline with terminal sections of the rail diverted away from the side occupied by the chain to avoid interference with the pins at the ends of the incline. Structure extending the length of the lower run of the chain is provided to stabilize the same and maintain a predetermined relationship between the pin and the load for maintaining a simple bearing contact between the pin and the load.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a more complete understanding of the present invention reference may now be had to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which a rail supported load may be elevated;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the system of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 33 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIG. 1, a conveyor track extends along a horizontal course to a junction 11 between section 10 and an inclined section 12 of the track. Inclined section 12 extends to a junction 13 with a horizontal section 14. Section 14 is at a substantially higher elevation than section 10.

Food products, such as carcasses of slaughtered animals, generally are moved on such track systems by means of a roller on track 10 from which there depends a strap 21 which in turn supports a depending hook 22.

In accordance with the present invention, a chain drive unit 26 is installed along the side of the inclined section 12. Unit 26 comprises a framework 28 which supports sprocket wheels 30 and 32 at opposite ends thereof. A roller chain 34 is driven by the drive sprocket 30 and is supported by the idler sprocket 32 with the lower run of the chain 34 immediately below track 12. The chain 34 is driven by a motor 36 through a suitable speed reduction drive. The sprockets 30 and 32 are mounted adjacent to one side of the track 12.

Side fingers not seen in FIG. I extend from the chain at spaced points. The side fingers extend parallel to the roller axes and are immediately below track 12. The side fingers engage strap 21 when it reaches the juncture 11 to propel strap 21 and any load on hook 22 up the incline 12, delivering the load to horizontal section 14.

Unit 26 is supported from a superstructure by hangers 38.

One embodiment of unit 26 is illustrated in FIG. 2 in a perpsective view. Drive sprocket 30 is mounted on a shaft 31. Motor 36 is mounted on top of the frame 28 and is coupled by a belt 40 to a pulley 41 which in turn is coupled through a conventional gear reduction unit (not shown) whose output shaft is connected in a driving relation to the shaft 31.

As above noted, chain 34 includes side fingers 44 extending laterally therefrom at spaced points along the length thereof. Fingers 44 travel immediately below the track 12 and extend beneath the track in a direction parallel to the axes of the rollers in belt 34. The fingers 44 are conveniently installed by welding a base plate 45 to which finger 44 is attached onto one of the links in the roller chain 34.

Track 10 immediately adjacent the juncture 11 has a lateral deflection section 100. Track section 10 bends inward toward the plane of the chain 34 from an initial course spaced a distance sufiicient from chain 34 for finger 44 to travel downwardly to a position below section 12 at the juncture 1 1. The same is true at the upper end where the track 14 near juncture 13 is bent or offset in section 13a so that finger 44 may travel around idler sprocket 32 without interference from the track section 14.

The construction of one embodiment of the unit 26 is shown in FIG. 3. Track section 12 is welded to a lateral channel which is part of a frame member comprising a vertical section 51, a top horizontal section 52 and a downwardly extending section 53. Channel 28 extends longitudinally of the unit in the upper right hand comer of the frame formed by elements 50-53. A similar channel 54 occupies the opposite corner. A similar channel 56 is connected to the lower end of the section 53. Channels 28, 54 and 56 extend parallel one to the other and parallel to track 12.

Roller 20 is mounted on shaft 20a in the crown at the upper end of the hanger bar 21. Roller 20 is grooved so that the track 12 nests between the side rims.

Chain 34 travels through a stabilizer frame made up of two I-beams 60 and 62. Beams 60 and 62 are supported from the flanges of the channel 56. They are spaced vertically a distance such that the roller 34a may travel in the slot between the confronting surfaces of the flanges on I-beams 60 and 62. The flanges on I- beams 60 and 62 are of the same width as the length of the roller 34a By this means the chain 34 is stabilized throughout the entire length of the lower run. The upper run is merely supported at the bottom by an I- beam 64 which is supported on the lower flange of the channel 54.

Finger 44 is integral with a plate 45. Plate 45 extends substantially the length of the chain link and is welded to the outer surface of the chain link. Finger 44 travels immediately below the track 12. It serves to engage the downslope edge of the hanger bar 21. By this structure, there is no relative movement between finger 44 and bar 21. Rather, the bar merely makes an impact contact with the edge of the bar 21 and retains substantially the same relationship throughout the travel of the wheel 20 along section 12. At the upper end of the section 12, the transition section 13a forms a bend away from chain 34 to occupy a run beyond the end of finger 44 so that finger 44 can follow an upward course around the idler sprocket 32 in its orbit along the track. While the use of the conveyor above described normally would be thought of as involving lifting of loads from a lower level to an upper level, a primary use is in lowering loads in a controlled manner. One embodiment was employed to lower and lay out beef halves hanging from an upper track section such as at section 14, FIG. 1, on a work surface positioned beneath the ramp section.

Having described the invention in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that further modifications may now suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and it is intended to cover such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An overhead track conveyor elevator which comprises:

a. a rail,

b. an inclined elongated arched frame open at the bottom and supporting said rail inside the arch along one side of said frame to form a ramp,

c. at least one roller assembly on said rail having a depending load carrying arm extending below said rail inside said arch,

d. a roller chain mounted on sprockets located at opposite ends of said frame to propel said chain over a vertical elongated loop parallel to said rail with one run of said chain below and closely adjacent to said rail and the return run of said chain substantially above said rail,

e. guide structure engaging said chain to limit said chain in said one run to longitudinal movement,

f. side fingers carried by said chain at a plurality of spaced points therealong and extending laterally from said chain to a point beneath said rail for travel immediately beneath said rail over said one run to thereby engage said roller assemblies at a point below said rail,

g. rail sections at the end of said ramp deviating away from the path of said fingers at the ends of said one run, and

h. drive means for one of said sprockets to propel said chain continuously in'the direction the loads supported by said roller are to move.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said guide structure includes supporting beams rigidly supported by said frame engaging the tops and bottoms of the rollers of said chain.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said frame comprises:

a. a plurality of rigid arch members each connected to said rail at the bottom of one leg thereof, and

b. a longitudinally extending member connected to the other of said legs and supporting said guide structure.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3 wherein said guide structure includes two vertically spaced rigid plates of width equal the length of the rollers of said chain and having confronting faces spaced apart a distance equal the diameter of said rollers to stabilize said chain.

5. An overhead track conveyor elevator which comprises:

a. a section of a rail oriented to form a ramp,

b. an open bottom frame arch interiorly supporting said rail from one side of said arch,

c. an endless belt interiorly supported from the other side of said arch with one run of said belt parallel to and immediately below said rail over the length of said section and the return run substantially above said rail,

d. a plurality of rigid fingers extending from said belt to a location below said rail,

e. guide structure engaging said belt from top and bottom over the length of said one run to stabilize said belt and force said fingers to follow an undeviating course below said rail, and

f. means to propel said belt whereby said fingers travel immediately below said rail and engage any depending load carried by said rail in travel between the levels of the ends of said section.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which said rail has a transition zone deviating away from said belt at each end of said section.

7. The combination set forth in claim 6 in which said belt is a roller chain and wherein the means to propel the belt includes a sprocket at each end of said one run to support and propel said chain. 

1. An overhead track conveyor elevator which comprises: a. a rail, b. an inclined elongated arched frame open at the bottom and supporting said rail inside the arch along one side of said frame to form a ramp, c. at least one roller assembly on said rail having a depending load carrying arm extending below said rail inside said arch, d. a roller chain mounted on sprockets located at opposite ends of said frame to propel said chain over a vertical elongated loop parallel to said rail with one run of said chain below and closely adjacent to said rail and the return run of said chain substantially above said rail, e. guide structure engaging said chain to limit said chain in said one run to longitudinal movement, f. side fingers carried by said chain at a plurality of spaced points therealong and extending laterally from said chain to a point beneath said rail for travel immediately beneath said rail over said one run to thereby engage said roller assemblies at a point below said rail, g. rail sections at the end of said ramp deviating away from the path of said fingers at the ends of said one run, and h. drive means for one of said sprockets to propel said chain continuously in the direction the loads supported by said roller are to move.
 2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said guide structure includes supporting beams rigidly supported by said frame engaging the tops and bottoms of the rollers of said chain.
 3. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said frame comprises: a. a plurality of rigid arch members each connected to said rail at the bottom of one leg thereof, and b. a longitudinally extending member connected to the other of said legs and supporting said guide structure.
 4. The combination set forth in claim 3 wherein said guide structure includes two vertically spaced rigid plates of width equal the length of the rollers of said chain and having confronting faces spaced apart a distance equal the diameter of said rollers to stabilize said chain.
 5. An overhead track conveyor elevator which comprises: a. a section of a rail oriented to form a ramp, b. an open bottom frame arch interiorly supporting said rail from one side of said arch, c. an endless belt interiorly supported from the other side of said arch with one run of said belt parallel to and immediately below said rail over the length of said section and the return run substantially above said rail, d. a plurality of rigid fingers extending from said belt to a location below said rail, e. guide structure engaging said belt from top and bottom over the length of said one run to stabilize said belt and force said fingers to follow An undeviating course below said rail, and f. means to propel said belt whereby said fingers travel immediately below said rail and engage any depending load carried by said rail in travel between the levels of the ends of said section.
 6. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which said rail has a transition zone deviating away from said belt at each end of said section.
 7. The combination set forth in claim 6 in which said belt is a roller chain and wherein the means to propel the belt includes a sprocket at each end of said one run to support and propel said chain. 